Connecticut – When Kerry-Ann Henry’s mother died last August, she vowed to continue her charity work through The Verona Foundation, a non-profit organization named in her honor. Its first venture was assisting people affected by Hurricane Melissa in their native Jamaica.
In late December, the New York-based Henry and a team of 16 volunteers traveled to St. Elizabeth parish in southern Jamaica. This area bore the brunt of the Category 5 hurricane’s force. With the assistance of American companies such as WestPoint Home, Welspun, Loftex Home, Silk Home, 1818 Mills and Pem America Inc., they provided meals and distributed care packages to over 500 families.
Henry was born in Kingston, Jamaica’s capital. The scenes of destruction she witnessed in the country’s rural areas during her recent visit, was heartbreaking.
“The situation on the ground was challenging. Many families have relocated to live with family members who weren’t affected as much. Some have temporary shelters with tarpaulin as many roofs were blown off. Others were moving to the next phase which is to help rebuild homes,” she disclosed. “The roads were rough as electric wires were still down on some of them. At times, volunteers had to get out of our vehicle to move them out the way.”
Some of the St. Elizabeth communities Henry’s team visited were Slipe, Holland Village and Burnt Savannah which were hit by Melissa.
Residents were presented with non-perishable food, water, toiletries, hygiene kits, cleaning supplies, clothing, tents, portable bathrooms and bedding.
Impact of Hurricane Melissa
The Jamaican government estimates that it will cost more than $8 billion to repair the damage from Hurricane Melissa. This storm is the worst to hit the country since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. It resulted in 45 deaths, left thousands of people homeless and without electricity and disrupted operations at hospitals.
For Kerry-Ann Henry, a director of the New York Women’s Foundation, it is critical to be part of the restoration effort. It is something her mother would want.
“We had to show up for Jamaica. Seeing homes ripped apart, families stranded, and communities left without basics reminded us that a single act of generosity can spark a chain reaction of hope,” she said.
